ID-100166060Have you ever hit a weight loss plateau? If you have, you know how frustrating it can be to stop losing weight even though you are putting in the same effort. The fact is most people hit at least one (usually more than one) plateau during their weight loss journey – it’s normal. The main reason this happens is because the body burns fewer calories as it gets smaller. But, don’t despair. This doesn’t mean that you are destined to be overweight. What it does mean, however, is that you may need to re-evaluate and adjust what you are currently doing.

Use these tips to help you assess your habits and make the appropriate changes so you can push through the plateau and continue moving toward your ultimate goal.

  • Re-commit yourself. Hitting a plateau is often all it takes for some people to call it quits. They get frustrated, lose their motivation, and give up. Don’t fall into this trap. Instead, think about why you started on the weight loss journey to begin with and choose to do whatever it takes to get back on track. Remember, you absolutely have the capacity to lose weight; you just have to decide to do it. Once you’ve made that decision, you need to show up and do the work.
  • Re-assess your habits. Get back to keeping detailed records. Make sure you haven’t gotten careless about eating bigger portions on a regular basis. Overeating every once in a while isn’t going to make much of a difference but doing it often will get in the way of weight loss.
  • Limit empty calories. Foods such as soda, candy, cookies, cake, and fried foods are high in calories and low in nutrients. Too many of these empty calorie foods can add up fast and will certainly stall your weight loss. Be on the lookout for foods that contain lots of sugar and/or fat. Check the Nutrition Facts Label as well as the ingredient list.
  • Rev up your exercise. Although you can lose weight without exercising, exercise can help you push through a plateau and get you to your goal weight more quickly. In addition to aerobic-type exercise, consider adding resistance or muscle-building exercises. Increasing your muscle mass will help you burn more calories.
  • Be patient. Weight loss takes time and it can slow down as you get closer to your goal. You may feel stuck, but in fact still be losing weight – just not enough to register on the scale every day. Consider this – if you lose just a third of a pound each week, in a year you will be 17 pounds lighter! So, hang in there. The slow and steady approach will take you straight to your goal.

Now, I’d love to hear from you.

Have you broken through a weight loss plateau? How did you do it?

Please share in the comment section below. Your ideas could be very helpful to other readers.

Meanwhile, if you want to lose weight, improve your energy and feel better, I can help you get started. Take my free Self-Assessment at https://njnutritionist.com/freeassessment

Image courtesy of Apolonia / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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